Tuesday, June 26, 2012

I'm sorry for my handful of readers, that I've abandoned my blog. Summer is SO busy, with swimming and cookouts, and talking, laughing, drinking with friends and family every night. Plus, I've been trying to organize the house, going through closets, finally unpacking the last of the boxes. Keeping busy.

Oh and two of my three now find themselves on the green couch with me at 5:30 in the morning, during my quiet time. And you know what? I don't mind. I like the extra cuddles and the few minutes to chat privately with them about their anticipations for the day. I like the closeness it brings to us. The added intimacy before the start of another crazy, rushed morning of throwing food in the crockpot, shoveling breakfast in my mouth, throwing clothes on them, and managing somehow to get dressed (appropriately) myself.

True Story: Number One sat on the couch with me yesterday, and he was talking about school. I said something to him about making sure his shoes are on the back of his feet. (He has this habit of walked on the backs of his Converse).

He looked at me and said, "I always put them on right, but that day I didn't because they were wet."

I said, "Why were they wet?"

He said, "The girls at daycare pushed me into a deep puddle."

I said, "Sometimes girls do mean things."

He said, "Yeah, but it's ok because girls are the boss of the whole universe."

I said, "Oh really? Why do you think that?"

He said, "Because I know it. It's true. Girls always tell everyone what to do, and the boys just follow them around!"

I giggled at this bit of insight from my seven year old, and I thought about how true it was.

Then I looked towards the kitchen and I said, "Hubby, Can you grab a glass of water for Darling Daughter?"

Number One looked at me and said, "See Mom. The Boss of the Universe."

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The coffee didn't automatic brew this morning, so I'm sleepily typing. I hate it when I walk into the kitchen and the aromatic smell of just-brewed coffee doesn't hit me at 5 AM. Oh well, you know what they say about best laid plans.

When I was little, all summer long I ran around outside. I remember sitting on the couch reading when I was eight or nine, and my mom coming in and forcing me out of the house. I used to run around the neighborhood, playing with girls younger than me and older than me, picking up a baseball or wiffle ball game in the front of someone's house, going down to the high school and exploring the parking lot, and getting really dirty.

I remember one summer when I was much smaller, my brother told me he buried a bunch of army men in the red dirt pile. We had this pile of red dirt that was just past the spot where the big brown van was parked, and we weren't really allowed to play there. Red dirt stains (badly). I sat there, probably for three hours digging in that dirt looking for those army men. I think I found two, and I ruined my clothes.

One summer day, my sisters and I were swimming and the neighbors climbed the fence to yell at us. They were boys and mean ones at that (who have since apologized for their behavior as errant children), and they were so jealous of the fact that we had a pool and they didn't. They had a friend over, and she tumbled right over the fence and broke her arm.

So many memories...

Summer is different for my kids, because I work. They don't have days of free time spent gallivanting around a neighborhood. They basically go to school and once a week they enjoy the swimming pool at my parents' house.

On the weekends, I encourage him to hop on his bike and ride to the end of the street or explore some of the empty lots. He'd rather relax in front of the TV or complain when I ask him to work on his summer reading!

I figure once Number Two is old enough to go exploring with him, he'll take me up on the offer.

Those hot days of summer held such wonderful memories for me, and I'd love my kids to have memories like those as well.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Life has taken over once again, and my blog has become quiet. I think about blogging every morning, but I have yet to actually do it until today.

The last few weeks have been quite busy, both physically and emotionally. A lot of changes are going on in my life right now. I've been writing about them, but not posting publicly. Some things are better kept to yourself, or only to a few trustworthy people.

Last weekend, I enjoyed a wonderful weekend with some of my great girl friends from childhood. I went up to Birmingham, and we ate and drank wine, and we talked. We didn't go to any crazy parties or go to bars. Everything was low key, and it was so much fun to see them and reconnect with them. I have wonderful friends who will be in my life forever, and that is so amazing.

This week, Hubby has been out of town. The kids have been wonderful, with Son Number One thoroughly enjoying his first week of summer. I swear he's going to be a lawyer when he grows up. He argues with every single thing I say! Here's Number Two with his first grade teacher at the end of the year. I'm going to miss her so much!

Son Number Two helped me clean the downstairs bathroom. He is the biggest helper. Always willing to lend a hand when you need one. I also picked him up from daycare the other day, and the cap had fallen off his tooth. We had an emergency trip to the dentist the next morning, and they filled it. He said, "I can't eat ANYTHING hard. Crackers are too hard, Mommy!" The filling will continue to fall out until they can actually pull the tooth. They want to wait until he's five to do that though, so we have about ten months of wait and see. Number Two smiling for the camera:

Darling Daughter's vocabulary expanded again. There's nothing like being able to hear. She has also developed a great imagination. She likes to pretend she's a dog. Every morning she's been getting up, coming downstairs to eat her "oatmeh," and then crawling around on the floor, barking. She actually pants sometimes. It totally cracks me up. I took the kids to Chick Fila yesterday, and she was barking inside the play area. I said, "Good dog, baby!" This little boys looks at me and says, "She ain't no dog!" Cracked me up.

In other news, I'm now a blue belt! I earned my new belt my testing on Wednesday. I was super nervous, but apparently my form looked sharp! It should, as I've been doing the same form (green belt) for six months. Now to learn a new form!!! I braved taking all three kids to Awards last night. Luckily my good friend, Miranda Grace, brought M&Ms to feed my kids so that helped (until they ran out)!!! It went over amazingly well, except Number Two kept running in front of the seated parents. After a few threats of no Chick Fila, he settled down though!﻿

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Today is Tuesday and that means it's goal day! I have lost a total of 40 pounds. I can barely believe it, except for all the clothes that are falling off when I wear them! I've been really digging skirts, because of the elastic waists that they usually have.

I skipped goal posting last week. I've had a busy two weeks, and blogging has taken a low place on the priority list apparently. Although I skipped, I did think about my goals from the week before.

I had several goals, and unfortunately the only one I achieved was losing the 2 pounds. We have not posted the rules for the kids, but I really want to do this before summer starts. Number One and Number Two are in need of some limit setting, and Hubby and I are sort of pushovers in that department. I love the kids, but I have to admit that discipline is not my strong point. I have a temper, so I get angry, or I'm too soft. There's sort of no middle ground. We had a time when we had rules posted in the house, and it worked really well, so I'm going to do it again.

My other goal last week was to write every day, and this didn't happen either. I did a lot of reading last week and sitting around when I wasn't at Taekwondo. I just didn't have the energy. In fact, I've been fighting off a cold, and I think that's why my body is so tired.

This week, my goals are all about organization. I'm trying to organize some aspects of my life, so things flow more easily. It may be hard for me to make these goals too, because I'm going out of town on Friday, so I don't have as much time to accomplish them, but I'm still going to set them down in writing.

Make a Chore Chart for Hubby and the Kids: We're in bad need of a physical reminder, with a checklist, of items that need to be cleaned around the house. Sure, we can sit around and look at the mess and clutter and complain about it, but having a list to check off will surely help us accomplish more. I've tried this before, and it didn't work, but we're going to try it again!

Create a Calendar: I want to be able to post a monthly calendar on our fridge, so everyone knows where everyone will be on a certain day. Our schedules are so busy, that I think this will help. I'd also like to use this calendar to fill in certain things like: Lauren cook dinner tonight, Hubby pick up kids today, etc.

Clean Bathrooms: I know that you all don't want to know the ins and outs of our potties! Putting this here actually helps me achieve this dreaded chore. Every time I've put it on my blog I've cleaned them. So once again, clean those bathrooms!!!

Monday, June 4, 2012

I'm tired. I have a cough. Yes, I feel like complaining, and this is my blog so I can do it. It's Monday morning, and I have a short week at work. This coming weekend, I'm going to enjoy a girl's weekend with my friends from elementary/middle/high school. We used to all come together one a year for a wedding shower, then a baby shower, but alas we have all been married and we've all had, at least, our first child! So this weekend, we're meeting for food and fun. I'm so excited to see these girls, who every time we get together it's like we've never left each other.

I've been pretty awful with picture taking lately. I don't know why. I keep forgetting the camera. I have an iphone, and it takes "ok" photos. I've been using it more than the camera, because it already comes everywhere with me.

And speaking of iphones, or smart phones in general: I don't know if this thing is a blessing or a curse. I mean, every minute of every day, I have access to the internet, my friends, texting, my email box. Yesterday, while I was at my Mom's house, I left the thing in my car and it was like the 1990s again! No pinging constantly, no one trying to reach me, awwww...pleasant solitude. I had everyone with me that needed to be with me, why did I need to be reached that minute of have instant access to Shazam! or to Google or to any number of apps that do semi-useful (or more appropriately, semi-useless) things for me!

This is the last week of school for Number One. I can't believe he is almost a second grader. He has come so far this year. He's also starting to look so much older, lengthening out, and his face is getting that boyish look instead of that babyish look it has always had. His hair is darkening up. He's becoming more "reasonable" about some things. He's bull-headed like his mother. He has a constant thirst for knowledge, and he won't let anyone win a fight. I love the kid. I fear the summer a little bit for the lack of routine. He thrives on routine. He'll be in a summer program though, so hopefully it will be okay.

This post is so rambly, and I have no photos, so I'm going to end it so I can go start the crockpot turkey chili that I have to make this morning before work. Adieu...